(BCSNN) -- College football bowl games once defined the sport. For decades, teams fought to reach the postseason, to play somewhere around Christmas, student-athletes stayed committed to their teams regardless of NFL futures, and entire seasons were judged by which bowl a program earned. Even during the BCS era and the early four‑team playoff years, bowl games still mattered.

But as the postseason expanded, bowl games lost their shine. Opt‑outs became routine. Transfer portal departures gutted rosters. Third‑stringers took the field in games that once carried national weight. The tradition that anchored college football’s holiday season slowly unraveled.

So now, ahead of the 2026 season, Utah head coach Morgan Scalley says it’s time — finally — to fix bowl games. And his solution is bold.

“I am a big fan of bowl games Week 0; you keep the bowl sponsors happy, guys aren’t opting out, it’s good against good,” Scalley told USA Today. “You put bowl games Week 0. And you have a 24‑team playoff, so those games don’t necessarily hurt you if you lose and everyone’s fired up. And a 24‑team playoffs, you don’t make the playoffs, you are done; your season’s over with. So, I am a big fan of that.”

With the playoff likely expanding to 24 teams, traditional bowl games appear headed for extinction. Scalley’s idea flips the model: move bowl games to the start of the season, create marquee matchups immediately, and eliminate the opt‑out problem entirely.

Even with roster turnover between seasons, Week 0 bowl games would deliver high‑quality matchups and restore the excitement bowl games once generated. And, as Scalley notes, a single early loss won’t derail a playoff bid in a 24‑team format, meaning teams should embrace tougher scheduling and better games.

For fans who grew up watching bowl games during Christmas break, the decline has been painful. Scalley’s proposal feels overdue — a fix many in the sport have quietly discussed for years.

His idea also aligns with the direction college football is already heading. Despite concerns that a 24‑team playoff will produce early blowouts, the financial incentives make expansion inevitable.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, one of the sport’s most influential voices, said 24 teams appears likely.

“A lot of our coaches, a lot of our athletic directors, and probably some others, think 24 is the right direction,” Sankey said on The Paul Finebaum Show. “What we’ve said is that could ultimately be the proper direction. We just don’t think you leap to that without information. And research and understanding the marketplace informs that decision.”

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips echoed the sentiment at ACC media days.

“I have been vocal about the idea that if you have a championship, and you have teams that truly could win a championship, and they’re not invited… you don’t have the right format,” Phillips said. “There’s a debate between 16 and 24. I’ve gone on record that I believe 24 is the right number for us.”

At this point, expansion feels inevitable — and Scalley’s Week 0 bowl concept feels like the first genuinely creative solution offered in years. After everything bowl games have become, about time someone proposed a fix.